Fall 2004

FIELD HOCKEY

Winnisquam 2

Mascoma 0

TILTON — Ashley Gilbert turned aside 10 shots as Winnisquam held off a furious Mascoma rally to remain unbeaten with a 2-0 victory in Class M-S field hockey action.

The Bears (3-0) cashed in two early opportunities. Kelley Muraszko opened the scoring with assists from Chelsea Welch and Sue Lefebvre. Welch netted the second from Lefebvre. Winnisquam made them stand up with a solid defensive effort led by Gilbert.

Mascoma out-shot Winnisquam 8-0 in the second half and 10-5 for the game. The Royals also had an 8-5 edge in penalty corner chances.

"We couldn’t even move the ball in the second half," Winnisquam coach Len Lavin said. "I think it was more they were good rather than us making mistakes."

Also turning in nice games were defender Leigh Smith and link Allison Keith.

Winnisquam visits Newfound Friday afternoon (4).

BOYS SOCCER

Winnisquam 3

Prospect Mountain 0

TILTON — Both Pat Ahern and Rob Hallowell tallied a goal and an assist as Winnisquam put together its best performance of the season to down Prospect Mountain, 3-0, in Class M schoolboy soccer play.

"This was a character builder for my team. We’ve had two games in two weeks against tough teams," Winnisquam coach Amy Dutton said. "We came back and played a great game.

"We controlled the midfield and we did a nice job moving the ball," added Dutton. "The combination play from my midfield to my strikers was phenomenal."

Winnisquam (2-2) did controll the flow and broke the scoreless battle in the 34th minute when Kris Durham finished off a Ahern pass for a 1-0 lead. Ahern then headed in a nice cross from Hallowell for a two goal advantage.

Hallowell finished the scoring in the second half with assists from Danny Bays and Ryan Speikers.

Playing solid defensive games for the Bears were Matt Kievit, Luke Player, John Robinson and Bayes. Keepers Chris Tibbetts and Sean Andrus combined on four saves for the shutout.

BOYS SOCCER

Winnisquam 4, Mascoma 1

TILTON — Ryan Speikers scored three goals to help lift the Bears to their first back-to-back victories in two years.

"It’s been a long two years," said WRHS head coach Amy Dutton whose team now stands at 3-2 on the season. "I’m really happy with the way we are playing now. We are going out there knowing we can win."

Speikers opened the scoring seven minutes in off an assist from Chris Durham. Mascoma followed with a goal at the 20 minute mark to send the teams into halftime tied.

Speikers got the Bears rolling in the second half with a goal three minutes in, assisted by Pat Ahern. Eight minutes later Speikers drilled one home from 25 yards out, assisted by Ahern and Rico Santamaria.

Durham closed out the scoring with an unassisted goal on a breakaway.

Also playing well for Winnisquam was Danny Bays and John Robinson.

The Bears host Belmont on Tuesday.

FIELD HOCKEY

Winnisquam 3, 

Somersworth 0

Winnisquam (7-0) goalie Ashley Gilbert needed to make only two saves thanks to a dominant offense that outshot the Hilltoppers 22-2.

Kelley Muraszko, Chelsea Welch and Dory Paull all scored for the Bears, which had 17 corners to Somersworth's four.

VOLLEYBALL

Winnisquam 3, Hillsboro-Deering 1

TILTON — Winnisquam ran its record to 3-5 as it downed Hillsboro-Deering 3-1 in a Class M schoolgirl volleyball match up. The scores were 25-12, 18-25, 25-14, 25-22.Spofford Beck led the way for Winnisquam as she collected 9 kills, 18 digs and 5 aces. Robyn Curdie (3 aces, 5 kills, 13 digs, 9 assists) and Michelle LaBranche (8 digs, 9 aces) also played well in the triumph for the Bears.

Bears settle for a tie with Berlin

By AARON HOWARD

Staff Sports Writer

TILTON — After 75 minutes of grueling, back and forth field hockey action the only thing that was decided in the battle of unbeatens was that both Winnisquam and Berlin are even.

The battle of Class M-S powers fittingly ended in a 1-1 tie on Thursday after a scoreless overtime as neither team could find the winning touch. The Bears and Mountaineers now have identical 11-0-1 records as they continue to battle for the top spot as the playoffs approach.

"I’m pleased to get a tie," said Winnisquam coach Len Lavin. "(Berlin) are by far the best team I’ve seen in a long time. I was very pleased with the way we came out in the second half and I was pleased with the fact that they didn’t come in here and blow us away."

It was a tale of two halves for Winnisquam. In the first half, the Bears were tentative as the Mountaineers controlled play. In fact if it wasn’t for a number of spectacular saves by goalie Ashley Gilbert (26 saves) and some great defensive plays by Erin Roark, Berlin may have broken the game open.

"I just felt (Berlin) was a little too quick for us," Lavin pointed out. "That first half we came out a little tentative and they were really attacking us. Ashley made numerous stops and Erin Roark played a great game back there. I just thought we really didn’t come out and play in the first half. We played very poorly in that first half and that was partly do to the way (Berlin) played."

The first half may have been all Berlin, but Winnisquam didn’t back down. The Bears came out with a renewed vigor in the second half as they flipped the script on the Mountaineers. Led by Sue Lefebvre, Kelley Muraszko and Chelsea Welch, Winnisquam pressed Berlin’s zone.

Eventually, all the Bears’ hard work paid off as Muraszko broke the scoreless tie when she fired home a shot after a mad scramble in front of the Mountaineers’ net.

"If we would have played as well as we did in the second half in the first half, this might have played a different game," Lavin pointed out. "The girls were pushing the ball in the first half instead of just hitting it. It really made a difference. I thought we just came out and were a little more aggressive."

The Bears’ lead would not last long — six seconds to be exact. Berlin worked the ball right down the field and Kelly Hood drilled a shot past Gilbert to knot things up at 1-1.

"We came down here and we knew that it was going to be a high intensity game," said Berlin coach Nicole Arguin. "Their goalie was very good. I thought she made some real nice plays. Basically this is one game down and we’re just going to move on."

The contest almost ended numerous times in regulation, but both goalies came up with spectacular saves to keep it even. Winnisquam’s best chance came with just seconds remaining in regulation as Muraszko sent a pass to Lefebvre who fired a shot on goal. The ball went into the goalie area, but Berlin goalie Katelyn Faucher (16 saves) somehow managed to kick the ball away and cleared the rebound.

In overtime, neither team could get a clean chance at a winning shot as both defenses put the brakes on each and every scoring opportunity. Melissa LaBranche and Amanda Lowery also had solid games for the Bears.

"It makes us think no matter who we play in the playoffs we can stay right with them," said Lavin of the contest. "They are such a good team and to play the way we did in the second half and into overtime … I’m pleased."

Winnisquam will travel to Mascoma on Tuesday while Berlin hosts Profile Wednesday

FIELD HOCKEY

Winnisquam 3, Profile 1

BETHLEHEM — Winnisquam coach Len Lavin hit a milestone on Tuesday. The veteran coach earned his 250th career win as the Bears handed Profile a 3-1 loss in a Class M-S match up.

The Bears ran their record to 11-0, setting up a battle with similarly unbeaten Berlin at home on Thursday.

"We’re really pleased," said Lavin. "The kids are excited about today. They hit a wall in the second half, but they still played a pretty good game."

Kelley Muraszko got things going as she took a feed from Ashley Robichaud and Chelsea Welch and slipped it into the back of the net for the 1-0 advantage. Robichaud would add a key tally off an assist from Amanda Lowrey just before the half to make it 2-0.

The Patriots would come alive in the second half as they scored eight minutes into the second half to pull within a goal (2-1).

Winnisquam would eventually put this one away as Welch scored her 18th goal of the year off an assist from Muraszko. The Bears received solid efforts from Dory Paull and Caiti Sullivan.

Class M-S Field Hockey Preview: Bears set for semifinal showdown

From Staff Reports 10/25/04

TILTON — The Winnisquam field hockey team is just two wins away from a three-peat.

But in order to win a third consecutive Class M-S title, the second seeded Bears (14-0-1) first need to take care of business against No. 3 Derryfield in the semifinals this afternoon (4:30) at Livingston Park in Manchester.

The Cougars (15-1) enter the contest as one of the top defensive teams in the tournament, having allowed only five goals thus far, including one in their 2-1 overtime win over Newfound in the quarterfinals.

"They are a good defensive team," said WRHS head coach Len Lavin. "I don’t know if we’ll be able to score on them."

In addition to their defensive prowess, the Cougars can also score. They are led by Alexa Warburton who returned from knee surgery on Sept. 29, scoring two goals in a 3-0 win over Hopkinton. She also scored the winning goal in overtime in a 1-0 win over Somersworth.

The Cougars have a number of players who stepped up in the first eight games without Warburton and since her return. Molly Lyford, a junior, has been Derryfield’s top scorer in the circle.

Kayla Sirkin, Heather Schofield and Julia Maldonado are players to watch as well.

Winnisquam also has a number of players who are capable of putting the ball in the net. Sue Lefebvre, Chelsea Welch and Amanda Lowery each scored in the Bears’ 3-1 win over Profile in the quarterfinals. Kelley Muraszko, Alicia Boyce and Dory Paull are other offensive players to keep an eye on.

Defensively, the Bears are strong as well. Goalkeeper Ashley Gilbert backbones a solid group that includes Lowery, Erin Roark, Melissa LaBranche, and Ali Keith.

The winner of this match will take on the survivor of the No. 1 Berlin/No. 4 Mascenic semifinal showdown in the final which is slated for Sunday October 31 at 6:30 p.m., also at Livingston Park

Bears earn trip to final  10/26/04

WRHS finishes scoring chances, tops Derryfield

MANCHESTER — There’s something about October that brings out the best in the Winnisquam field hockey team.

Not even veteran coach Len Lavin can explain his team’s success when the calendar flips and the pressure’s on, but he doesn’t have to — the Bears let their play speak for itself.

After a sluggish start, two-time defending champion and second-seeded Winnisquam had the finishing touch and in doing so finished No. 3 Derryfield’s season with a hard fought 2-0 victory in the Class M-S semifinals here at Livingston Park.

The win secures Winnisquam’s (15-0-1) sixth straight title tilt berth. With a win in the championship game, the Bears would win their fourth Class M-S crown in six years. The Bears will play top-seed Berlin, who slipped past Mascenic 3-2 in the late semifinal.

The Cougars end their season at 14-2.

"I don’t know," said Lavin about why his team has so much success in the postseason. "I can’t explain it. The girls work hard year in and year out. The key is we know what to do inside the circle. We’re the one team that puts shots on the net and knows how to finish and a lot of teams buzz around and buzz around, but they don’t finish and that’s the key."

It certainly was on this night. While the Cougars set up shop in the Bears’ end in the first half — they couldn’t score. Derryfield’s best opportunity to push one across and seize momentum came with eight minutes left in the half. The Cougars were awarded a penalty stroke and with it a golden opportunity, but in the end it was Winnisquam goalie Ashley Gilbert that came up golden.

After taking a few extra moments to get ready Gilbert made a diving stop on Cougar midfielder Molly Lyford’s penalty stroke to keep the game scoreless. That save seemed to spark Winnisquam’s offense as it controlled play from that point.

"I couldn’t hear anything … seriously," Gilbert pointed out. "I had to keep my head down and keep it cool. To tell you the truth I honestly don’t remember. I do not remember what happened. I remember looking behind me and the ball was sitting right next to me and then I just got up and started screaming."

Lavin certainly new the magnitude of Gilbert’s remarkable stop.

"That was the big moment of the year," Lavin pointed out. "I said to them that they have to thank their goalie for keeping you in when you weren’t doing well."

Things certainly changed in the second half. From the opening whistle Winnisquam was parked in the Cougars’ zone. After a couple of near goals, the Bears finally got the goal they were looking for. Kelley Muraszko knocked home a rebound for the eventual game winner.

"They were outplaying us and they’re a really good team," said Muraszko. "We started playing our game instead of their game. Everybody hustled and really wanted it. It was all heart."

Winnisquam then capped off one of its best halves of the season with some insurance. It was Leigh Smith who stepped up for the Bears as she took a pass from Ashley Robichaud and deposited into the back of the cage with just six minutes to go.

"I thought we didn’t play very well in the first half," said Lavin. "We were still pretty lethargic. I thought we improved drastically in the second half. We came to life a little bit and we seemed to get a little bit of guts. I just thought we played better and once we got the lead I thought we played the best we’ve played in a week and I was pleased with that.

"We started to pick up the pace," added Lavin. "Maybe the competition brought it out of us. At halftime all we talked about was forget the skill and get some guts. That’s what it takes. Stop standing and start moving because if you make a mistake, you make a mistake."

The Bears had a host of players step up as Amanda Lowery, Smith and Melissa LaBranche led the way defensively while Chelsea Welch, Muraszko and Sue Lefebvre were solid on the offensive end.

Derryfield goalie Sarah Umberger was solid in net while Alice Townsend, Kim Cohen and Natalie Coviello also contributed for the Cougars.

"It’s all about scoring goals," said Derryfield coach Lenny McCaigue. "We dominated the first half. They didn’t have one corner until the second half of the game and we had a penalty stroke. We dominated the game, but we didn’t reward ourselves from the opportunities we created.

"At the end of the day you can’t do that against a team like Winnisquam because they have a history of scoring goals," continued McCaigue. "They have fast, aggressive forwards and the second half they stepped it up. When the opportunities arrived they scored the first goal and gained some momentum and we never recovered from that

It really is the same story every year. Lavin, perhaps playing possum, worries about his team's spirit and fire heading in to the postseason, then his Bears rise up and conquer all or most of the teams that get in their way.

This time around, Lavin can thank his goalie, senior Ashley Gilbert, who stopped Molly Lyford's penalty stroke with 8:11 left in the first half. He can thank Kelly Muraszko and Leigh Smith, both of whom scored in the second half. And he can thank himself for once again unveiling a group that showed just a tad more spark than its opponent, a recurring theme during Lavin's great 17-year run at the school.

"They have a history of scoring goals," said Derryfield Coach Lenny McCaigue, who coached the Men's U.S. National Team for five years during the 1990s. "They have fast, aggressive forwards. The second half they stepped it up. They scored that first goal and gained some momentum and we never recovered from that."

"The key is we know what to do inside the circle," Lavin said. "We're the one team that puts shots on the net and knows how to finish."

Gilbert wouldn't let Lyford, a bundle of energy and hustle throughout, finish in the first half of a scoreless game.

With a group of shirtless boys chanting, "Here we go, Ashley, here we go," Gilbert kicked Lyford's penalty stroke off to the right side, spoiling Derryfield's best scoring chance.

The senior goalie said she was in a vacuum during the entire stressful process.

"I couldn't hear anything, seriously," Lyford said. "I had to keep my head down and keep it cool."

Gilbert added that she employed a little strategy, saying she told the official she wasn't ready when asked.

"I figured if I told her I wasn't ready it would throw her (Lyford) off a little, and I think it did,"Gilbert said.

Still, Derryfield showed plenty of moxie, both after Gilbert's save and through the entire first half. In fact, thanks to the smooth stickwork and passing of players like Lyford, Laura Gelinas, Emma LeBlanc and Christina Nyquist, the Cougars (14-2) actually had the better of the play through the first 30 minutes.

Gilbert and Derryfield goalie Sarah Umberger, sister of running superstar Rachel Umberger of Concord, both made a few sprawling saves to keep things tense.

"We weren't playing very well. They were just outplaying us. They're a really good team,"Muraszko said. "We just started to play our game instead of playing into their game. We really wanted it. It was all like heart."

Said Lavin, "I just thought we played better in the second half, and once we got the lead, we played the best we've played in a long time."

The lead came with 19:22 left in the game when Muraszko took a pass from freshman midfielder Allison Keith and converted in a scrum-like tangle in front of the goal.

Smith scored off a pass from Ashley Robichaud with 6:05 left and Derryfield was toast.

The win puts the Bears into familiar territory, Sunday's final against yesterday's winner between Berlin and Mascenic.

"Its great, really great,"Muraszko said. "It's really nerve-wracking, but it's a great experience."